ALBANY – The 19-year-old intern who accused Harlem Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV of rape gave contradictory statements to police, saying at one point that the sex was consensual, it was learned yesterday.

A high-level law-enforcement official told The Post that the young woman, at the center of the latest sex scandal to hit the state Legislature, provided police in suburban Colonie with a formal statement saying she voluntarily accompanied Powell to his hotel room near the Thruway last week and willingly engaged in sex.

Albany’s WTEN-TV reported last night that the woman told police in a seven-page statement that she had “protested mildly” against Powell’s initial advances but then “removed her own clothes to have sex.”

She then admitted having sex twice that night and even suggested Powell use a condom, according to the WTEN report.

She also told police that she only accused Powell of rape after being encouraged to do so by her boyfriend, according to the report.

A Colonie police report released Monday said the alleged victim – who has also said Powell plied her with alcoholic beverages despite her being under the legal drinking age – had accused Powell of rape.

Colonie Police Chief Steve Heider, saying that he had “heard” that the young woman may have had second thoughts about the rape charge, insisted, “We’re still looking at the dual issues of sexual assault and the providing of alcohol to a minor.”

Heider, who refused to discuss the statement given by the alleged victim, said, “People are under a lot of pressure from various sources. Until we can establish exactly what happened the investigation will continue.

“The element of consent is everything when you look at these charges,” Heider continued.

Colonie police, meanwhile, intensified their investigation of Powell, seizing bedding, a sofa cushion and other items from the Howard Johnson hotel room where the alleged assault took place.

The police also took two “buccal” swab kits from the room – for testing to determine the presence of DNA, according to a receipt provided to the hotel.

A registration card and a printed receipt “to Adam Powell” was also taken, according to the receipt.

Silver, whose own chief counsel, Michael Boxley, pleaded guilty to sexual assault last year after being accused of raping a 22-year-old Assembly employee said several lawmakers have been working on new standards to protect some 155 college interns who work for the Assembly each year.